Cultivating Sustainability

This Thanksgiving I decided to make a very unusual turkey – Tandoori Turkey. However, 2 of my friends that celebrated with me are vegetarians. I really wanted them to experience the tandoori marinade I made for the turkey, so I decided to make roasted potatoes with the marinade. Wow…these were fantastic. I’m so glad I decided to create this dish. I will definitely make these again.

INGREDIENTS

• 2.5 lbs small potatoes (such as red nugget or fingerling)
• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 2 tbsp chopped peeled ginger
• 2 tbsp high quality bottled lime juice
• 1 tbsp finely chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon tandoori masala
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Rinse and quarter potatoes. Toss with olive oil and place in a 13X9″ baking pan. Set aside.
3. Combine yogurt through salt in a blender.
4. Toss 1/2 cup yogurt marinade with potatoes, or enough of the marinade to evenly coat the potatoes.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring after every 10 minutes to prevent sticking.

Roasted butternut squash, onions and garlic – how can you go wrong with this colorful, autumn dip. Pair with crackers, brie and a full-bodied red wine for a savory appetizer.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and coarsely chopped into cubes
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced in half, lengthwise
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 cup organic, vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Toss the butternut squash, onions and garlic with oil, herbs and 1/2 tsp kosher salt.
3. Bake in a shallow dish or on a baking sheet for 20-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until onions and squash begin to caramelize.
4. Coarsely mash with a fork and add vegetable broth.

My friend, Sutton, introduced me to this extremely simple, yet flavorful salad. The combination of shredded kale, parmesan, pumpkin seeds, and a simple vinaigrette create a wonderfully, unique, texture-rich salad.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch of kale (try red russian, or curly)
• 1 to 1.5 cups thickly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette

DIRECTIONS

1. Finely shred/cut the kale, rinse well, and remove excess water in a salad spinner.
2. Combine kale and enough vinaigrette to evenly coat in a large bowl. Let stand for 1 hour.
3. Toss with parmesan cheese and pumpkin seeds and serve.

These colorful and healthier nachos are a great appetizer, and are totally more impressive than your average version. I used extra filling from enchiladas I made earlier in the week. Enjoy with organic sour cream and your favorite salsa.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup already prepared sweet potato, corn and kale filling
• 1/2 cup shredded organic cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup shredded monterey pepper jack cheese
• 20 large organic, yellow corn tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

1. On an oven proof plate, spread tortilla chips in a single layer. Sprinkle with sweet potato, corn and kale filling. Top with shredded cheese.
2. Place in a toaster oven and toast for 4-8 minutes or until cheese is melted and begins to brown, checking every 2 minutes. (Note: you need to monitor the nachos closely to make sure that they don’t burn.)
3. Serve with organic sour cream and your favorite salsa.

• 2 ¾ to 3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• ¼ cup half and half
• ¼ cup skim milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare potatoes in a pressure cooker.
2. Mash in a large bowl with half and half through parmesan cheese. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

More videos from Rooting DC, sponsored by the DC Food to Fork network.

During the canning session, Mo Moodie from the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture demystified the art of canning. She assured the nervous group that if you follow safety precautions (such as keeping jars sterlyized, always using new lids, etc.) that there shouldn’t be much of a problem.

This is something I will definitely be trying in the coming months – as soon as I can find some cheap ball jars on eBay or Criagslist. You can find additional videos from my day at Rooting DC at Grown in the City.

On Saturday, I had the pleasure to attend Rooting DC, sponsored by the DC Food to Fork network. One of the sessions I attended was “Puttin’ it up: Canning for Beginners”.

There, I was able to shoot a video about making kimchee with Ibti Vincent, from the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture. It’s very easy – greens, ginger, scallions, salt, and hot pepper get mashed until the liquid from the greens covers the mashed greens. If there isn’t enough liquid, it can be topped with water or the whey from yogurt.

I can’t wait to try this! You can find additional videos from my day at Rooting DC at Grown in the City.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large head of cauliflower, cored and cut into 1 inch wide florets
• 1/2 to 3/4 lb. purple potatoes, washed, and cut into 1 inch cubes (do not peel)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 5-7 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cauliflower, potatoes, oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a 9X13″ baking dish.
2. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Don’t know what to do with all that cabbage? No worries, raw cabbage makes an excellent base for a tasty, mexican inspired salad. This recipe combines fresh mint and cilantro with shredded cabbage and cucumbers, tossed with a light honey-lime dressing.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 head large cabbage, shredded
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 medium cucumber, chopped
• Honey-Lime Dressing

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine cabbage through cucumber in a large bowl.
2. Toss with about 3 tbsp Honey-Lime Dressing.
3. Serve with Sweet Potato Quesadillas and Tomatillo & Cilantro Salsa.

Not to be confused with baba ganoush, this delicious moroccan version is called “zelouch”. (*Indicates Potomac Vegetable Farm (PVF) produce. For more information about what we are doing with our PVF CSA share, click here.)

Recipe adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid.

INGREDIENTS

• 2-3 medium eggplants (about 1 pound)
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-3 tsp Harissa, to taste (a north african chile paste available in specialty stores or in the international section of large grocery stores)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce each eggplant in several places. Roast eggplants, whole, on a baking sheet or in a baking dish coated with cooking spray for 45-60 minutes, or until the skins are a dark mahogany in color and the flesh feels soft. Let stand until cool enough to handle. Split the eggplants and coop the flesh into a colander. Press lightly to extract the excess liquid.
2. In a medium to large saucepan, heat oil on medium heat and add garlic and onion. Sauté for 8 minutes, or until golden. Add roasted eggplant and harissa. Saute for 5-10 minutes, or until the eggplant mixture begins to brown. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.